The disclosure of PCT/IB2015/053286 (now U S National Phase application Ser. No. 15/330,500 filed Sep. 28, 2016, Publication No. US 2017-0007003A1) is hereby incorporated by reference herein. That application relates to an applicator for semi-solid materials, such as lip balm, that incorporates many novel features including, but not limited to, an elastomeric material base cap, and a plunger for holding the semi-solid material, which plunger is reciprocal within and with respect to a housing.
According to the present invention, a number of additional features and/or enhanced functionalities are provided for a material dispenser/applicator, based at least in part on the applicator of said application Ser. No. 15/330,500. Also, a novel flowable material dispenser is disclosed.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an applicator for a semi-solid material such as lip balm. The applicator comprises: A generally tubular housing having first and second ends. A plunger to which is mounted semi-solid material extending exteriorly of the housing first end, the plunger including a shaft. And an elastomeric material base cap mounted to the second end of the housing and having an interior structure to which the shaft is connected. The structures are configured so that by continued depression the elastomeric base cap is movable to a position which induces separation between surface manifestations on the shaft and interior structure of the base cap which provides ejection of the plunger and its shaft from the housing.
The elastomeric base cap interior structure to which the shaft is connected preferably comprises a tubular portion of the base cap. An end cap (preferably transparent or translucent) is releasably connected to the housing at the first end thereof for covering the semi-solid material. In view of the desired functionality of the applicator of the invention the elastomeric base cap should have a durometer of about 45-55 (about 50 is ideal) on the Shore A scale, not the broader range of 40-70 in said application Ser. No. 15/330,500.
The applicator preferably further comprises an apertured abutment within the housing through which the plunger shaft reciprocates and which acts as a stop for the interior structure of the base cap during ejection of the plunger shaft from the housing. The housing desirably has an interior guide hub (or apertured abutment) with ribs configured and positioned to preclude spinning of the plunger shaft.
In one embodiment of the invention the elastomeric material base cap is a bistable element which moves from a first stable configuration in which the semi-solid material is primarily within the housing to, after removal of the end cap and manual actuation thereof a second stable configuration in which the semi-solid mass is substantially completely exterior of the housing, and upon further manual actuation of the elastomeric material base cap while in the second stable configuration moves to a third position whereby the plunger shaft is ejected from contact with the elastomeric base cap. In another embodiment the base cap merely moves from its normal position to the eject position, and is not bistable.
According to another aspect of the invention, an applicator for a semi-solid material is provided which comprises: A generally tubular housing having first and second ends. A plunger to which is mounted semi-solid material extending exteriorly of the housing first end, the plunger including a shaft. And an interior guide hub with ribs configured and positioned to preclude spinning of the plunger shaft. The particular elastomeric material end cap as described above may also be utilized.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of using the applicator as described above to eject a plunger having semi-solid material which is primarily used up, and replacing it with another, replacement, plunger having a fresh supply of semi-solid material by inserting the shaft of the replacement plunger into operative association with the interior structure/tube of the elastomeric material end cap.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a dispenser for dispensable material which comprises: A generally tubular housing having first and second ends. A dispensable material containing or supporting structure including a shaft having a first surface manifestation thereon; an elastomeric material base cap at the second end of the housing and having a generally central structure with a second surface manifestation releasably operatively cooperating with the first surface manifestation. Upon depression thereof, the elastomeric material base cap operatively moves to a position which moves the shaft to provide access to dispensable material from the dispensable material containing or supporting structure at the first end of the housing. And a stop mechanism within the housing for stopping movement of the generally central structure of the base cap so that upon continued depression of the base cap the first and second surface manifestations disconnect so that said dispensable material containing or supporting structure is removable from the housing and replaceable by a fresh dispensable material containing or supporting structure.
The dispensable material containing structure may comprise a bellows containing flowable material mounted within the housing and having a dispensing nozzle adjacent the first end of the housing. The dispenser also preferably includes an end cap for releasably closing the first end of the housing through which the flowable material is dispensed by the dispensing nozzle. The end cap preferably includes a first portion which screws onto the housing, and a second potion which is connected by a living hinge to the first portion and which pivots to uncover, and cover, the dispensing nozzle.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an applicator or dispenser with readily replaceable material application or dispensing components. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from a detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.